


A Song for Ireland

by elphie_flying_solo



Category: Derry Girls (TV), Eurovision Song Contest RPF
Genre: Derry, Eurovision, F/M, Fluff, Humour, Ireland, Teenage Dorks, Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-03-07 20:35:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18880768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elphie_flying_solo/pseuds/elphie_flying_solo
Summary: It's Eurovision time!James has his first Eurovision sleepover with the girls at Erin's house, and starts to realise he could get used to this....Derry of course, not Erin sleeping beside him. No way. Why would he think that?





	1. What's Eurovision?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, this is my first Derry Girls piece so please bear with me, also I'm not from Ireland so apologies for my awful dialect attempt. I was watching Eurovision last night and realised the gang probably would have watched it as Ireland kept winning in the 90s, so i just tried to write a scene i would love to see in Series 3. Hope you enjoy!

“Now, I’m guessing all ye wains will be coming round tomorrow night?” Ma Mary asked between mouthfuls of pizza. The gang were eating at the Quinn’s on Friday night as normal, and these words triggered mega excitement from the girls. They were talking over each other loudly and excitedly, but James was simply sitting in confusion. “Hang on,” he asked, “what’s happening tomorrow?”  
“Why it’s Eurovision, so it is” Aunt Sarah replied matter of factly over the noise.  
James was even more confused now “and…” he started cautiously, seeing the girls obviously loved this, whatever it was, and knowing their tendency to overreact. “What is Eurovision?” 

The table turned completely silent and everybody turned to stare at him. Except Orla, who’s shock at this made her choke on her slice of pizza, and Aunt Sarah, who was currently slapping her on the back.  
“Eurovision James, the Eurovision Song Contest?” Clare said, but James’ face was still blank. “You…you’ve never heard of Eurovision James? Really?” Clare asked in disbelief.  
“Um…no. Why, should I have?”  
“Catch yerself on James!” Erin laughed, “everyone knows Eurovision!”  
But James still seemed to have no idea.  
“Jesus fucking Christ the wee English prick has really never heard of Eurovision!” Michelle shouted.  
“Ach, can ye believe it, Cathy never showed the wain Eurovision, sure, that’s practically child abuse! I always knew I disliked her!” Poor Aunt Sarah had been so shook by this revelation, she looked like she might cry.  
“Can someone just please tell me what the HELL this Eurovision thing is!”

Everyone turned quiet again, and Ma Mary turned to James, whose face was red from frustration.  
“Eurovision is the Eurovision Song Contest dear. Singers from all over Europe come together and perform a song for their country, hoping to win it. The girls have been watching it since they were wee” Mary explained sympathetically.  
“Ireland are just cracker at it too, we almost always win!” Orla pronounced excitedly.  
“Also its a really good chance to for everyone to get together and realise that we are more similar than different. Kind of a peace-making thing really” Clare started to explain, until Michelle interrupted her.  
“Aye, but its also a class excuse for a party, am I right girls?” She waggled her eyebrows as if trying to suggest something. It was true that ever since they were 13, they have had a few drinks, but Erin didn’t want her parents finding out! Besides, something told her that Michelle had bigger plans for Eurovision this year.  
“Last year I ate so many snacks I was sick before the votes were counted!” Orla started, sounding far too happy about it. “See, it was all-”  
“Anyway,” Erin interjected before Orla could go into any more detail, “you in James?” She smiled at him, and he lost his words for a moment, stuck in the back his throat. Wow, her eyes were very blue. But not like a sea blue, more of a sky blue. Like Derry sky in spring.  
Oh my God, James told himself, stop thinking about Erin’s eyes for five seconds and answer her question, or you’re gonna seem even weirder than you already do! He’d had thoughts like this pretty much every time he’s seen her since the prom. What’s the matter with you James? What’s happening to you?  
“Yes! I mean, uh, yea, uh, sounds good?”


	2. This Always Happens

Once the pizza had been finished, James and Michelle began to walk back to the Mallon house.   
"Ach I can't believe you fuckface! You looked like a right prick" Michelle laughed.  
"Yes, thank you Michelle" he sighed, rolling his eyes.  
As Michelle began to tell him all about the guy she was meeting later - and what she planned to do with this poor fella - James zoned out. He thought about the look of shock on Erin's face when he didn't know what Eurovision was, the way her sparkling eyes had latched onto his, her wide smile when he had agreed to watch.

In fact, for those precious minutes whilst his cousin bragged about her new "ride" from Donegal, all he thought about was Erin. He'd been through this all before: mates with a girl, purely platonic, then boom! One tiny thing happens and he finds himself head over heels. This thing with Erin'll pass. They always have before. Except...  
Except he'd never felt what he was feeling for Erin before, the uncontrollable blaze of happiness through his body when she was even mentioned, the desire to be anywhere and everywhere that she was...  
The sadness when she mentioned guys like John Paul and David Donnelly, guys he knew he would never be anything like. The cold reminder that he would never be them, never be the focus of her affection, bringing him crashing back down to earth.  
Anyway, they had become really good friends since James had arrived in Derry, he wasn't about to spoil that by admitting how he felt, thus making them both awkward and spoiling things forever. They were friends, and that's what mattered to him. Even though everything seemed to remind him of her and how he wished it had been her, not Katya, who had been kissing him and wanting to - uhm. Yea.

"So just don't tell mam where I've gone or I'll fucking kill ye, ok?" They had arrived home and Michelle's abrasive tone had brought him out of his ~amazing~ daydream, home into reality. He nodded, of course, knowing that Deidre probably wouldn't even notice her daughter had left the house. 

That night, he found him grinning to himself. David Donnelly and John Paul may be "rides", but they've never slept in the same house as Erin Quinn. Their loss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated for ages! I will try to update more regularly. So it's almost Eurovision and James is getting feelings for Erin! Poor James :/


	3. Proves we aren't only good at killing each other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eurovision, vodka and a power cut...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ  
> Hi guys, I was wondering how many of you would read a fic based on the gang doing a school play/musical?  
> Please comment for me  
> Thanks :)

Erin and Orla were strolling round the house humming to themselves, gathering everything they could need for later that evening.  
Ever since they had been wee and Orla's dad was still around, they had made a bit of an event out of watching Eurovision. It was the one night of the year they were allowed to stay up past midnight, and as they got older, they were joined by Clare, Michelle and now James.  
Granda Joe hadn't been very keen on the idea of James sleeping in the same place as the girls, but he cared more about having the best costume at Dennis' party (Mary had persuaded him that he could still be the best in a group ABBA costume with her, Gerry and Sarah, but it took a lot of work - and sequins), so the girls were having to scramble around finding spare bedding for him, as usually they have two to a mattress on the floor, but the odd number made this a bit awkward - and Erin didn't want to give her granddad a heart attack!  
"This is gonna be soooo cracker!" Orla declared excitedly.  
"Aye," mused Erin, "Eurovision is pretty class, 'specially when we win, proves we aren't only good at killing each other"  
Orla smiled to herself. "It'll be even better now James is here"  
Erin stopped. Did Orla....  
No.  
She couldn't have.  
She's Orla! She's got the mental age of a 3 year old! Plus last time Erin was complaining about David Donnelly, Orla had absent-mindedly said that Erin should stop thinking about boys, and start thinking about cats instead ("They're just so cracker, and they really easy to deal with").  
"What d'you mean?"  
Orla had carried on walking, so Erin had to speed up to hear her nonchalent reply.  
"Well, 4 of us is okay, but 5 is gonna be even better. Besides, James is nice, he's not like all the other boys"  
Erin had to force herself not to smile. That was true, he wasn't a dick, no matter what any of them said, and he was always there for her. Them, She meant them, not her! She wasn't special, she told herself, if anybody else had been stood up at prom, he'd have done the exact same as he did for her.  
...goofy smile included...  
...look of admiration and love included...  
...gentle holding of their hand included...

"And" Orla chirped up, just in time to stop Erin's thoughts processing any further, "it's his first Eurovision, and it'll be with us! That means we have to make it extra special for him! Now, d'ya think he'd prefer Anna's Noddy or Tellytubbies bedding?"  
Erin's baby sister was staying at Gerry's parents' house for the weekend, so the house had seemed much quieter without her annoying American wain's TV shows (Bloody Yanks, Joe always grumbled) or ear-splitting whining when she didn't get what she wanted, but the noise had soon been replaced by the adults racing round to get ready for their party.  
Dennis always hired out the town hall and sold tickets in his little shop for his 'Big Euro-Bash', complete with TV to watch the acts, music, food and alcohol. It was a costume party, which meant Mary had been filled with Eurovision fever for the last few weeks, putting herself in charge of organising and creating their ABBA costumes. There was glitter and sequins everywhere, and Mary's sewing box was still out on the table in case of any last minute alterations.

"Erin love," Mary yelled from her room, "can ye bring me up some hairspray?" The Quinn household was manic. As Erin entered her ma's room, she almost choked on how much hairspray had already been used, and glitter seemed to shine off every single surface. She had to stifle a laugh when her da walked towards her, tottering on his white platform boots, with a big blue sequined collar. "Ah!" Mary appeared, in almost the same outfit. "Thanks love. Are ye and Orla sorting out stuff in the living room?" "Yes ma. We've got the 2 camping mattresses for me, her, Clare and Michelle with blankets and pillows, and mine for James with some of Anna's bedding." "Good girl. Now, they'll all be here in around an hour, and we're meeting Deidre just after. So make sure ye've got all the drinks and snacks on the table, and I'll leave some money for the chipper if you get too hungry". As far as Mary knew, they were no longer banned from Fionnuala's shop. But the truth was, Michelle had promised a first year vodka if she took the order for them. "Mary!" Erin heard her Granda Joe cry, "I refuse to wear these bloody heels! I look even more of a prick than your Gerry!" She sighed. "Da, you need them to be ABBA! They're the only way you'll have the best costume! You'll look more of a prick without them!" Orla placed a bottle of cheap cola on the kitchen table and began to try and arrange the m&ms into the Irish flag. "Right, Michelle and Clare over on that mattress, me and you on this one - that's why I put the duvet with the wee blue flowers on it - and James there". She explained her setup to Erin. "I put your special purple pillow there 'cause its the nicest, and it means you get to sleep closest to James". "Huh!" Erin had only been half listening to her cousin, but had heard the last part. Orla just gave her a knowing smile. "You said you liked being close to him, but you weren't sure just why yet - I thought this would help." Orla made her way upstairs as Erin tried to remember why that rang a bell... "Orla! Give me back my diary!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not much actually happens in this chapter, but I just wanted to give you all a bit of extra insight.  
> Don't worry, big one coming up next!
> 
> Remember to comment about my 1st note guys!


End file.
